Talks On Admirals Stalled

Efforts to revive stalled negotiations over the sale of the Norfolk Admirals to a group headed by Ken Young failed Wednesday when Admirals' co-owner, Mark Garcea, failed to make contact with Young's attorney.

Norfolk city councilman Randy Wright, who has acted as an intermediary in an attempt to bring the two parties back together after talks ended Tuesday in a dispute over the actual terms of the deal, said he is remaining involved because the two sides aren't that far apart.

"I'm going back because we're too close to the finish line to lose now,'' Wright said.

But as of 5 p.m., Wednesday, Young said Garcea had not contacted his attorney, Vince Mastracco, to try and close the $200,000 difference in the two offers. AHL president Dave Andrews could not be reached for comment, but it's believed the two sides have until 5 p.m., today to reach an agreement and keep Norfolk on the American Hockey League schedule in 2004-05. Without such an agreement, Garcea, who said he lost $750,000 this past season, likely would make the team dormant next season.

Young, who owns the Norfolk Tides and heads a four-man ownership group that includes Southside businessmen Chris Carpenter and Ray Fowlkes and former Hampton Roads Admirals owner Blake Cullen, said he had a verbal deal to buy the team for $2.8 million.

Young and his partners would put up $2.5 million, and the remaining $300,000 would come in the form of lease concessions from the city totaling $100,000 per year for three years.

But Garcea, who had been on record in the past as saying he and his partner, Page Johnson, wouldn't take less than $3 million, reaffirmed their desire to get $3 million, and Young walked away from the deal Tuesday.

Wright said he worked on ways to bridge the $200,000 gap Wednesday. One suggestion, he said, was to convince Garcea and Johnson to accept $2.8 million in a one-time payment rather than spread the money over several years.

"If they want to make the deal, then make it what we agreed to,'' Young said. "I would never agree to $3 million. As of 5 p.m., Mark had not contacted our attorney. I had heard that he was going to.''